Can opening device

ABSTRACT

The device opens &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;pull-top&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; cans, including particularly those dispensed in a heated condition from automatic vending machines, in a manner which minimizes the possibilities of spillage and splattering of the cans&#39;&#39; contents and/or of injury to the person. Each can is securely held by the device in a substantially upright position during opening, and the lid is preferably not removed entirely from the can body.

United States Patent [191 Turner et al.

[ CAN OPENING DEVICE [76] Inventors: Leonard W. Turner, 18 Valerie Dr., Greenville, SC. 29607; Ray R. Are], 119 Marlboro Dr., Greenville, SC. 29605 [22] Filed: July 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 269,264

[52] US. Cl 8l/3.32, 30/10, 81/337 [51] Int. Cl B67b 7/44 [58] Field of Search 30/6.4, 10; 81/331, 3.32,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,557,794 10/1925 Blackwell .,8l/3.32X

[ 1 Apr. 23, 1974 l/193l Paterman 30/10 X 4/1969 Saunders 81/332 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph H. Heard [5 7] ABSTRACT The device opens pull-top cans, including particularly those dispensed in a heated condition from automatic vending machines, in a manner which minimizes the possibilities of spillage and splattering of the cans contents and/or of injury to the person. Each can is securely held by the device in a substantially upright position during opening, and the lid is preferably not removed entirely from the can body.

PATEHTED APR 2 3 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2 omgmgn APR 2 3 I974 SHEET 2 BF 2 1 CAN OPENING DEvIcE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to can opening devices, and more specifically relates to a device for quickly and safely opening so-called pull-top cans of the type having a removable lid spanning substantially all of one end of the can and provided with a lifting ring affixed thereto.

Pull-top cans are now used fairly extensively for the packaging of convenience or ready-to-eat foodstuffs, such as soups and puddings. It has been found, however, that such cans present certain problems in use. Unless considerable care is taken by an individual opening a pull-top can, there is significant risk of his lacerating a hand and/or soiling his clothing or person. The latter result of course may transpire if the can is not firmly held in an upright position during opening, and its contents are allowed to spill. It also frequently occurs, even if the can is tightly gripped, during final disengagement of the lid from the can body since such disengagement is normally accompanied by an involuntary abrupt movement which tends to splatteringly disperse whatever portion of the cans contents might have been adhering to the undersurface of the lid.

The foregoing problems are magnified by the fact that many automatic vending machines dispense pulltop cans, containing soup and the like, in a heated condition. The elevated temperature of such cans prohibits or at least discourages an individual opening one of them from tightly gripping the same. This in turn increases the possibility of slippage, spillage and/or injury. Moreover, in the case of a heated can, the injury may not be restricted to a laceration resulting from accidental contact with the partially open top of the can, but also may include burns resulting from contact with the cans heated contents. The splattering problem is also more acute, since an individual splattered by even a small quantity of the heated liquid contents of the can instinctively tends to drop the entire can or otherwise react abruptly, thereby precipitating one or more of the undesirable consequences described above. For the foregoing reasons, numbers of automatic. vending machines which dispense heated pull-top' cans have actually had to be withdrawn from use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a highly reliable yet inexpensive device which overcomes the foregoing problems and which may be used to quickly and safely open even heated pull-top cans without danger. of slippage and the attendant risks of spillage and/or injury. The device is preferably so constructed as to also eliminate the problem of splattering, which among other desirable consequences greatly facilitates maintenance of the device in a clean and hygenic condition even under conditions of extensive public use.

In apreferred embodiment of the invention, the device includes generally upright frame means mounting releasable can positioning and clamping beneath a lever which is pivotally movable downwardly toward and upwardly away from such clamping means. Extreme downward movement of the lever disengages or releases the clamping means and permits the convenient insertion of a pull-top can to be opened. Upon initial upward movement of the lever, the can is automatically securely clamped by the clamping means in an upfor resiliently biasing lower right position. Upon continued upward movement of the lever, a hoook member carried thereby and engagable with the lifting ring afiixed to the can lid raises such lifting ring and, through it, the lid. Resilient stop means halts movement of the lever after the lid has been raised from the can body to an approximately vertical position, but prior to the lids complete detachment from the can body. This not only eliminates splattering of ones clothing or person, but also facilitates maintenance of the device in a hygenic condition and eliminates the problem of lid disposal. By virtue of a constructional feature of the clamping means and a release member associated therewith, the opened can with its still attached lid may be readily removed from the opening device without any tilting of the can from its still upright position. The device is further provided with means which permits the reception therein of cans of varying diameter, without interference in any case from the hook member carried by the lever of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. '1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away to illustrate details ofconstruction, of a can opening device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partially in elevation and partially in vertical section, taken approximately along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5-8 are reduced-scale and partially schematic side elevational views of the device of FIG. 1 and of a pull-top can being opened by such device, illustrating the sequence of operation; and

- FIG. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of a conventional pull-top can such asis shown in FIG. 4.

DEscRIPTIoN OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, the can opening device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 generally comprises frame means 12 including a base 14 having rearward and forward frame members 16,18 extending upwardly therefrom; can positioning and clamping means 20 carried by frame 12 and including lower and upper members 22,24, respectively, and means including a coil spring 26 (F IG. 4) and a vertically movable rod 28 clamping member 22 toward upper clamping member 24; means including a tab-like actuating member 30 carried by rod 28 for at desired times effecting release of clamping means 20 through movement of clamping member 22 downwardly away from clamping member 24; a lever 32 carried by frame member 16 for pivotal movement downwardly toward and upwardly away from can positioning and clamping means 20; stop means including a pad 34 for limiting the aforesaid upward pivotal movement of lever 32 away from clamping means 20; a hook-like member 36 pivotally carried by lever 32 for engagement at desired times with the lifting ring 38 (FIGS. 7-9) affixed to the lid 40 of a conventional pull-top can 42 being opened by device 10; and cam means including a pawl 44 and associated abutment 46 for pivoting hook member 36 away from clamping means 20 during movement of lever 32 downwardly toward such clamping means. With the exception of pad 34 and an operating knob 48 carried upon the outer end of lever 32, which components are preferably respectively formed of suitable resilient material and plastic material, all of the'components of device are preferably formed of aluminum, stainless steel or other metal which is durable and which can be easily maintained in a clean condition.

Base 14 of frame means 12 is substantially flat and is adapted to rest upon any suitable supporting surface such as a countertop (not shown). A plurality of countersunk bores 50 are provided through base 14 for the reception if desired of screws or other fasteners (not shown) by which base 14 may be permanently affixed to the aforesaid supporting surface. On one side of device 10 a curved wall 52 of frame 12 extends upwardly from base 14 and between upright frame members 16,18. The opposite side of frame ,12 is open to permit a can 42 (FIGS. 59) to be easily inserted into and re-' moved from device 10. To provide additional clearance for the fingers of the person inserting or removing the can from device 10, frame members 16,18 are laterally offset toward the closed side wall 32 of frame 12, and member 16 is provided with an arcuate opening 53 therethrough.

Clamping members 22,24 extend horizontally in vertically aligned relationship to each other and are each of generally annular shape. Upper member 24 is fixedly mounted in any suitable manner upon an upper part of frame 12, as by means of screws 54, and is provided with a lateral opening 24 through the quadrant thereof adjacent the rear and the open side of device 10. Lower clamping member 22 is affixed to the lower end portion of rod 28, which is slidable longitudinally of a vertical bore extending through front frame member 18. As is best shown in FlG. 4, coil spring 26 is disposed within a laterally opening chamber 55 of frame member 18 in encircling relationship to a reduced-diameter portion of rod 28, and biases rod 28 and the clamping member 22 upon its lower end in an upward direction. Upward movement of rod 28 and member 22 under the impetus of spring26 are limited, as is best shown in FlG. 1, by

. engagement of member 22'with overhanging shoulders 16,l8' of frame members 16,18, respectively. Downward movement of rod 28 and clamping member 22, from the positions thereof shown in FlG. l and against the biasing force of spring 26, may be achieved by depressing the upper end portion of rod 28, which projects above frame member 18. Actuator 30 is secured to the upper end of rod 28 to facilitate such depression thereof.

The confronting inner surfaces of clamping members 22,24 are each provided with a plurality of annular grooves or steps 56 which enable members 22,24 to receive pull-top cans of varying diameter and which insure that a can so received will be securely held by the clamping members in an upright position and centered condition. As explained in more detail hereinafter, appropriate ones of the grooves or steps 56 of members 22,24 respectively engage the lower and upper end flanges of a can 42 to be opened by device 10.

Lever 32, which has a generally J -like shape, is pivotally secured adjacent its inner end to a bifurcated upper end portion of frame member 16 by a suitable pivot pin 58. Lever 32 is pivotally movable in a vertical plane from its position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 downwardly toward clamping means 20, and thereafter upwardly away from such clamping means and back to its illustrated position, by a person grasping the operating.

knob 48 secured to the levers outer end. Movement of lever 32 upwardly away from clamping means 20 is halted when the lever reaches its illustrated position by engagement between an ear 60, formed integrally with the inner end portion of lever 32, and resilient pad 34, which is preferably formed of hard rubber and is mounted in any suitable manner within the bifurcated uppr end portion of frame member 16 beneath pivot pin 58. When stopped in its illustrated position, lever 32 remains there after knob 48 is released, since the center of gravity of the lever is then disposed rearwardly of pivot pin 58.

Intermediate the length of lever 32, a laterally projecting boss 62 is formed integrally therewith and a freely rotatable pivot pin 64 extends horizontally therethrough. Hook-like member 36 and pawl 44 are secured in any suitable manner to pivot pin 64 for free pivotal movement in unison with each other relative to lever 32. Hook member 36 lies on one side of lever 32 within a vertical plane extending in a forward-rearward direction through the centers of clamping members 22,24. Pawl 44 lies on the opposite side of lever 32 within a vertical plane intersecting abutment member 46, which is secured in any suitable manner to frame 12 of device 10 above and in laterally spaced relationship to upper clamping member 24. I

Referring now also to FIGS. 5-9, the use of device 10 for the opening of a pull-top can 42 will be described. The can 42 shown in FIGS. 5-9 is of a conventional pull-top type having aremovable lid 40 spanning substantially all of its upper end and having a lifting ring 38 secured thereto as by means of a rivet 39. As is also conventional, end flanges 41 project upward and downwardly from the respective upper and lower ends of can 42. r

As lever 32 is pivoted downwardly at the outset of a can-opening operation, its boss 62 engages actuator 30 of .rod 28 and depresses such rod, against the biasing force of spring 26, while pawl 44 engages abutment 46 and is thereby pivoted upwardly about the axis of pin 64- (see particularly F IG. 5). The depression of rod 28 releases clamping means 20 by moving clamping member 22 downwardly away from clamping member 24. The pivotal movement of pawl 44 and pin 64 raises hook member 36, which otherwise would then extend downwardly through and below upper clamping member 24, to approximately the same elevation as such clamping member. The pull-top can 42 to be opened may then be quickly and easily placed upon lower clamping member 22, even if the can is in a heated condition, with its removable lid 40 uppermost and with the free end of its lifting ring 38 toward the rear of the device 10. The lower end flange 41 of can 42 is automatically received by the particular groove or step 56 of lower clamping member 22 which is appropriate for the cans diameter, thereby centering and more securely seating the can relative to member 22.

During initial upward movement of lever 32 (see particularly FIG. 6), boss 62 passes out of engagement with actuator 30 of rod 28, whereupon spring 26 raises lower clamping member 22 and the can 42 thereon until the upper end flange 41 of the can abuts and is seated by the appropriate groove or step 56 of upper clamping member 24. Once such abutment occurs, can 42 is maintained securely clamped in an upright position by the aforesaid clamping means. At substantially the same time, that is during the initial upward movement of lever 32, pawl 44 passes out of engagement with abutment 46, whereupon hook member 36 pivots downwardly under the impetus of gravity until its free end engages that portion of lid 40 of can 42 disposed rearwardly (to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 9) of the free end of lifting ring 38.

Continued upward movement of lever 32 (see particularly F IG. 7) causes hook member 36 to engage lifting ring 38 and raise both the lifting ring and lid 40 upwardly and rearwardly (to the left as viewed in FIG. 7) away from the body of can 42. Since no part of device 10 engages lid 40, only minimal force is required to accomplish the foregoing and there is no danger of contamination of the cans contents.

Upward movement of lever 32 is halted, by engagement of its ear 60 with resilient pad 34 (FIG. 1), when lid 40 has reached an approximately vertical position (see particularly FIG. 8) but while the lid is still connected adjacentits rear edge (leftward edge as viewed in FIG. 8) to the body of can 42. This avoids problems of splattering and lid-disposal, which in turn and among other benefits contributes significantly to the successful utilization of device 10 in cafeterias, snackbars and other areaswhere the device would normally be subjected to extensive use with minimal maintenance. The engagement of car 60 with resilient pad 34 normally produces a very slight forward rebound of lever 32. When this occurs, the force of gravity normally causes hook member 36 to automatically disengage from lifting ring 38 and pivot to the vertical position thereof shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. The same result ensues if no rebound occurs, but lever 32 is manually moved slightly forwardly after engagement between ear 60 and resilient pad 34.

The person operating device 10 next manually depresses actuator (FIG. 8), which releases can 42 from its clamped condition by lowering clamping member 22, and removes the can from the open side of device 10. Such removal can be readily effected, without tilting of the can and notwithstanding the fact that lid is still attached thereto, by reason of the opening 24 provided within upper clamping member 24. Following removal of the can and release of actuator 30, device 10 is in readiness for another cycle of operation.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a can opening device possessing the benefits and advantages hereinbefore noted. Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, this was for purposes of illustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being in accordance with the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

l. A device for opening a pull-top" can having a pcripheral flange extending about and upwardly from its upper end. a removable lid spanning the majority of saidend of said can beneath the elevation of said peripheral flange, and a lifting ring affixed to said removable lid, said device comprising:

generally upright frame means;

means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position and engagingly overlying said peripheral flange of said can above and in laterally spaced relationship to said removable lid thereof;

lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means and the upper end of said can supported thereby;

and a hook member carried by said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of said can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can.

2. A device as in claim 1, and further including stop means carried by said frame means and engagable with said lever means for halting movement thereof away from said can while said lid is still connected to the body of said can and after said lid has been raised to approximately a vertical position.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said can supporting means comprises vertically aligned lower and upper clamping members adapted to respectively engage lower and upper end portions of said can, means mounting said lower one of said clamping members for movement toward and away from said upper one of said clamping members, and spring means biasing said lower one of said clamping members toward said upper one of said clamping members.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein each of said clamping members is of generallyannular configuration.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein the confronting surfaces of said clamping members each have a plurality of step-like grooves thereon facilitating the engagement by said members of cans of varying diameters.

6. A device as in claim 4, and further including an actuating member for moving said lower one of said plgnping members away from said upper one of said clamping members against the biasing force of said spring means.

7. A device as in claim 6, including means carried by said lever means and engagable with said actuator member upon movement of said lever means toward said can supporting member for then engaging said actuator member and thereby causing movement of said lower clamping member away from said upperclamping member.

8. A device for opening a pull-top can having a removable lid spanning the majority of the upper end thereof and a lifting ring affixed thereto, comprising:

engagable and disengagable clamping means for when disengaged receiving a can to be opened and for when engaged securing said can in an upright position during opening thereof;

manually operable means movable toward and away from said clamping means for upon movement toward said clamping means effecting disengagement thereof to permit the introduction therein of a can to be opened and, during movement away from said clamping means, for engaging said lifting ring of said can and for lifting said lifting ring and said lid of said can upwardly away from the body of said can;

and stop means for arresting movement of said manually operable means away from said clamping means after said lid of said can has been raised to approximately a vertical position and prior to complete detachment of said lid from the body of said can.

lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means; a hook member carried by said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of the can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement said lever means away from said can; and stop means carried by said frame means and engagable' with said leverymeans for halting movement thereof away from said can while said lid is still connected tothe body of said can, said stop means including a pad of resilient material. 10. A device as in claim 9, wherein said can supporting means comprises releasable clamping means engagable with opposite ends of said can.

11. A device for opening-a pull-top can having a removable lid spanning the majority of one end thereof and having a lifting ring affixed thereto, said device comprising:

generally upright frame means;

' means carried bysaid frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position;

from said can supporting means during movement 4 of said lever means toward can supporting means.

12. A device as in claim 1 1, wherein said cam means includes a pawl member carried by said lever means and pivotally movable in unison with said hook memher, and abutment means carried by said frame means for engagement with said pawl member during movement of said lever means towards said can supporting means.

13. A device for opening a pull-top can having a removable lid spanning the majority of one end thereof and having a lifting ring affixed thereto, said device comprising:

generally upright frame means;

- means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position, said can supporting means including lower and upper clamping members of generally annular configuration adapted to respectively engage lower and upper end flanges of said can, said upper clamping member having a lateral opening therein facilitating removal of said can from said can supporting means following opening of said can and while said lid is still connected to the body of said can;

' lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means;

and a hook member carried bysaid lever means for engaging said lifting ring' of the can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can.

14. A device as in claim 13, wherein said frame means includes a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, upright frame members carried by and extending upwardly from said base, a wall interconnecting said frame members on one side of said device, and another side of said device being open to facilitate insertion of the can within said device and removal of said canfrom said device. 

1. A device for opening a ''''pull-top'''' can having a peripheral flange extending about and upwardly from its upper end, a removable lid spanning the majority of said end of said can beneath the elevation of said peripheral flange, and a lifting ring affixed to said removable lid, said device comprising: generally upright frame means; means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position and engagingly overlying said peripheral flange of said can above and in laterally spaced relationship to said removable lid thereof; lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means and the upper end of said can supported thereby; and a hook member carried by said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of said can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can.
 2. A device as in claim 1, and further including stop means carried by said frame means and engagable with said lever means for halting movement thereof away from said can while said lid is still connected to the body of said can and after said lid has been raised to approximately a vertical position.
 3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said can supporting means comprises vertically aligned lower and upper clamping members adapted to respectively engage lower and upper end portions of said can, means mounting said lower one of said clamping members for movement toward and away from said upper one of said clamping members, and spring means biasing said lower one of said clamping members toward said upper one of said clamping members.
 4. A device as in claim 3, wherein each of said clamping members is of generally annular configuration.
 5. A device as in claim 4, wherein the confronting surfaces of said clamping members each have a plurality of step-like grooves thereon facilitating the engagement by said members of cans of varying diameters.
 6. A device as in claim 4, and further including an actuating member for moving said lower one of said clmaping members away from said upper one of said clamping members against the biasing force of said spring means.
 7. A device as in claim 6, including means carried by said lever means and engagable with said actuator member upon movement of said lever means toward said can supporting member for then engaging said actuaTor member and thereby causing movement of said lower clamping member away from said upper clamping member.
 8. A device for opening a ''''pull-top'''' can having a removable lid spanning the majority of the upper end thereof and a lifting ring affixed thereto, comprising: engagable and disengagable clamping means for when disengaged receiving a can to be opened and for when engaged securing said can in an upright position during opening thereof; manually operable means movable toward and away from said clamping means for upon movement toward said clamping means effecting disengagement thereof to permit the introduction therein of a can to be opened and, during movement away from said clamping means, for engaging said lifting ring of said can and for lifting said lifting ring and said lid of said can upwardly away from the body of said can; and stop means for arresting movement of said manually operable means away from said clamping means after said lid of said can has been raised to approximately a vertical position and prior to complete detachment of said lid from the body of said can.
 9. A device for opening a ''''pull-top'''' can having a removable lid spanning the majority of one end thereof and having a lifting ring affixed thereto, said device comprising: generally upright frame means; means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position; lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means; a hook member carried by said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of the can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can; and stop means carried by said frame means and engagable with said lever means for halting movement thereof away from said can while said lid is still connected to the body of said can, said stop means including a pad of resilient material.
 10. A device as in claim 9, wherein said can supporting means comprises releasable clamping means engagable with opposite ends of said can.
 11. A device for opening a ''''pull-top'''' can having a removable lid spanning the majority of one end thereof and having a lifting ring affixed thereto, said device comprising: generally upright frame means; means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position; lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means; a hook member carried by and pivotally connected to said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of the can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can; and cam means for pivoting said hook member away from said can supporting means during movement of said lever means toward can supporting means.
 12. A device as in claim 11, wherein said cam means includes a pawl member carried by said lever means and pivotally movable in unison with said hook member, and abutment means carried by said frame means for engagement with said pawl member during movement of said lever means towards said can supporting means.
 13. A device for opening a ''''pull-top'''' can having a removable lid spanning the majority of one end thereof and having a lifting ring affixed thereto, said device comprising: generally upright frame means; means carried by said frame means for supporting the can to be opened in a substantially upright position, said can supporting means including lower and upper clamping members of generally annular configuration adapted to respectively engage lower and upper end flanges of said can, said upper clamping member having a lateral opening therein facilitating removal of said can from said can supporting means following opening of Said can and while said lid is still connected to the body of said can; lever means carried by said frame means for pivotal movement toward and away from said can supporting means; and a hook member carried by said lever means for engaging said lifting ring of the can supported by said can supporting means and for thereafter lifting said ring and said lid of said can during movement of said lever means away from said can.
 14. A device as in claim 13, wherein said frame means includes a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, upright frame members carried by and extending upwardly from said base, a wall interconnecting said frame members on one side of said device, and another side of said device being open to facilitate insertion of the can within said device and removal of said can from said device. 